Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants

This program aims to support initiatives in fire affected areas that celebrate what’s unique about that local community to give international and/or domestic visitors a reason to visit and return, bringing the economic benefits of tourism, but also providing the community with a positive focus in the wake of the fires.

It forms part of the Australian Government’s $76 million Rebuilding Australian Tourism Package under the $2 billion National Recovery Fund, to protect jobs, small businesses and local economies by helping get tourists travelling into bushfire affected regions.

The objectives of the program are to:
- Restore visitor levels to areas impacted by bushfires by supporting events, concerts, festivals and/or other visitor attractions (such as art installations and tourist walks) and other tourism initiatives in those areas.
- Promote the uniqueness of affected local communities.
- Assist with the recovery of regional tourism.
- Attract overseas, interstate and intrastate visitors as a direct result of the project.

There are two streams of funding available:
1. Stream 1
- Will support smaller scale events.
- Applicants may apply for more than one grant in this stream up to a total value of $30,000.
- A total funding pool of $2 million is allocated for this stream over the life of the program.
- Application opened on 17 February 2020 and closed on 18 December 2020, 5pm AEDT.

2. Stream 2
- Will support larger events and/or other visitor attractions such as art installations and tourist walks.
- A total funding pool of $7.5 million is allocated for this stream over the life of the program.
- Application opened on 17 February 2020 and closed on 8 May 2020, 5pm AEDT.

A total funding pool of $10 million is available over two years, allocated as follows:
- 2019-20: $7 million
- 2020-21: $3 million

The program will run over approximately two years from February 2020 to February 2022.

Eligible applicants must:
- Be one of the following types of organisations:
a) A Local Government Authority (LGA)
b) A Regional Tourism Organisation (RTO
- For Stream 1, be in a bushfire disaster-declared Local Government Area activated by a State or Territory Government for DFRA assistance for the 2019-20 bushfire season.
- For Stream 2, be in a bushfire disaster-declared Local Government Area activated by a State or Territory Government for DFRA assistance for the 2019-20 bushfire season, and which has been declared Category D.

An RTO must be one of the following entities:
- An entity, incorporated in Australia
- A company limited by guarantee
- An incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
- An incorporated association
- An incorporated not-for-profit organisation

Joint applications are acceptable and encouraged, particularly for stream 2, provided the applicants have a lead organisation who will act as the main driver of the project and is eligible to apply.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements and the list of eligible local government areas.

Eligible projects must be aimed at assisting with recovery of regional tourism in bushfire affected regions by supporting existing impacted events, creating new tourism events or attractions, and promoting those events or the uniqueness of the region to bring international and/ or domestic visitors back to the region and increase visitation.

Eligible activities may include:
- Funding for bespoke events, concerts, festivals and/or other permanent visitor attractions (such as art installations and tourist walks).
- Business events, such as conferences.
- Social media and/or other promotional and public relations activities including visitor guides, video, photography and other media to support the eligible activities or community or region itself.
- Applications for one-off events will need to demonstrate the benefit to the community (e.g. media exposure, promotion of local businesses and international and/ or domestic visitors from outside the region).
- Should the event be ongoing (e.g. annual), where practicable, applicants will demonstrate the long term benefits and clearly outline their strategy to fund the event in future years without Australian Government funding.

Other activities may also be approved, including existing events. For expanding existing events, the benefits will require clear demonstration.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of eligible activities/expenditure.

The main assessment criteria include:
- Project alignment with program objectives and outcomes.
- Capacity, capability and resources to deliver the project.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of the assessment criteria.

The following are ineligible for funding:
- An individual.
- A partnership.
- An unincorporated association.
- Any organisation not included in section 4.1 of the Guidelines.
- A trust (however, an incorporated trustee may apply on behalf of a trust).
- Activities, equipment or supplies that are already being supported through other sources.
- Costs incurred prior to Austrade notifying the applicant that their application has been successful.
- Any in-kind contributions.
- Financing costs, including interest
- Capital expenditure for the purchase of assets such as office furniture and equipment, motor vehicles, computers, printers or photocopiers and the construction, renovation or extension of facilities such as buildings and laboratories.
- Costs involved in the purchase or upgrade/hire of software (including user licences) and ICT hardware (unless it directly relates to the project).

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete list of ineligible expenditure.